Best Entry-Level Gaming PCs for Young Gamers
Buying a gaming PC for kids can be tricky as you balance educational and gaming needs. Desktops and laptops in schools are essential tools, and sometimes parents need to secure a dedicated machine for video games. But what if you need one machine for both educational and video game use? Is there a PC to satisfy both school and pleasure? For the best experience, selecting the right entry-level gaming PC is crucial. In this article, we'll talk about gaming desktops for kids. The best gaming computers not only offer powerful performance but also support educational needs. We'll explore choosing the best gaming PC for kids that meets your budget. When choosing the best gaming PC, consider both budget and performance. We'll even provide a guide on future-proofing your investment, ensuring the best value for money.
What Features Do You Need?
Let's start with hardware. High-quality components play a crucial role in delivering a smooth gaming experience. If you're new to PC gaming or buying your first gaming PC, you may opt for an entry-level gaming computer. Instead look for one that's best for you and the games you play. A mid-range processor, like an Intel Core i5 or AMD Ryzen 5, along with 16 GB DDR5 RAM, supports most video games. Storage-wise, solid-state drives (SSDs) are the trend. Look for a good amount - 512GB to 1TB SSD. Some PCs have the option to combine both SSD and HDD (hard-disk drive) which is great because you'll have more space - fast SSDs speed up load-times, while a large HDD gives you tons of space to store games.
Next, you'll want a good graphics card for smooth gameplay. Gaming PCs require significant power and thus a dedicated graphics card is crucial. For children, a NVIDIA GTX 1660 or AMD Radeon RX 580 GPU supports 1080p gaming at 60 fps. On this note, if looking at a laptop or desktop monitor, consider one with a high-refresh rate (144Hz+) and IPS or OLED panels for good color.
If you're a parent, you may want some parental controls to manage play time and ensure age-appropriateness of content. Many operating systems come with built-in controls to set time limits, restrict access to games / websites and monitor what your child sees online. These features ensure a balanced and safe gaming experience for children. If you want extra protection, installing a child-safe web browser and antivirus helps.
HP Entry-Level Gaming PCs
Reviewed as some of the best entry-level options, these ensure great gaming experiences without breaking the bank. Here are some PCs to consider for young gamers.
The HP Victus series
The HP Victus is a great starting point for new gamers, with both desktop and laptop options. The Victus offers a solid build and is among the best in budget gaming PCs. If you want a desktop, the Victus by HP 15L Gaming Desktop is excellent for the price-conscious. It's AMD Ryzen 5 CPU and AMD Radeon RX 6400 GPU supports most games and the option to upgrade memory from 8 GB to 16 or 32 GBs make it future proof. If you want a better CPU (Intel Core i7) and slightly better GPU, there's the Victus by HP 15L Intel Core i7, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060.
For portability the Victus by HP Gaming Laptop 16.1 may suit you (or your child) better. It's an entry-level gaming PC option that's powerful and portable. It's an excellent choice, offering a balanced design and great value. And with 16 GB RAM, dedicated NVIDIA GeForce GPU, Windows 11 Home and an Intel i5 chipset, it's a bargain.
The HP OMEN series
Known for high-end gaming, the HP OMEN is our flagship series when it comes to satisfying gamer needs. It delivers extraordinary gaming PC power and is ideal for enthusiasts. These PCs come equipped with slightly more powerful internals, with Intel i5-i7 and AMD Ryzen 7 processors standard.
Priced a bit higher than the Victus, gamers will see a difference in performance and visuals when they play, especially when in-game settings are maxed. OMEN starter models like the OMEN 25L Gaming Desktop PC and OMEN 16L Gaming Desktop PC come with AI powered GPUs and more refined build-quality. You also get OMEN AI and OMEN Gaming Hub to personalize everything from FPS to RGB lighting.
Price-Performance Comparison
Feature
Victus Series
OMEN Starter Models
Price Range
$$
$$$-$$$$
Processor
AMD Ryzen 5 / Intel Core i5
AMD Ryzen 7 / Intel Core i5-i7
Graphics
Entry to mid-range GPUs for 1080p-1440p gaming
Higher-end GPUs for 4k gaming
RAM
8GB - 16GB
16GB - 32GB
Storage
256GB - 512GB SSD
512GB - 1TB SSD
Build Quality
Good
Excellent
Upgradability
Moderate (limited expansion)
High (multiple expansion ports)
| Feature | Victus Series | OMEN Starter Models |
|---|---|---|
| Price Range | $$ | $$$-$$$$ |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 / Intel Core i5 | AMD Ryzen 7 / Intel Core i5-i7 |
| Graphics | Entry to mid-range GPUs for 1080p-1440p gaming | Higher-end GPUs for 4k gaming |
| RAM | 8GB - 16GB | 16GB - 32GB |
| Storage | 256GB - 512GB SSD | 512GB - 1TB SSD |
| Build Quality | Good | Excellent |
| Upgradability | Moderate (limited expansion) | High (multiple expansion ports) |
Making the Right Choice
Optimal gameplay settings may vary from game to game, but for the most part, you'd want a balance between frame rate performance and graphics. In general, popular video games like "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6" and "Madden NFL 25" benefit from a great GPU, strong CPU, and ample RAM and storage. These PCs are tested for optimized performance in the latest video games. This config, standard in the PCs mentioned above, provides a solid foundation to enjoy popular franchises with some headroom for future releases.
If you're thinking about buying a PC for school, the Victus and OMEN lines are more than sufficient, and with Windows 11 Home pre-installed and the option to purchase MS Office 365 (at a discount), students have a powerful productivity ecosystem at their fingertips. For household needs, these starter models are versatile enough to handle photo/video editing and stream movies and TV shows in 4k. If you plan to store movies, photos and documents, alongside games on your PC, consider adding extra storage. Models with additional slots for RAM and PCIe can help future-proof your investment, so consider this as well. A prebuilt gaming PC with upgrade potential is a smart choice.
Value Features
All our PCs come with standard warranty coverage, typically one-year limited warranty that covers manufacturing defects. For extra peace of mind, extended warranty options including accidental damage protection is offered. With pickup and return included, these services can be beneficial, especially if your child is prone to mishaps.
Support options for our gaming PCs reflect our commitment to customer satisfaction. Users have access to 24/7 technical support via phone, chat and email. HP Support Assistant comes pre-installed and gives you additional tools to troubleshoot and run diagnostics. HP'S online support forums and community also offer valuable resources for self-help and peer assistance. In a sense, you're fully covered no matter which PC you purchase.
Other value features include:
HP SmartFriend offers coaching on all things tech, like "how-to" guides and software installation.
- OMEN Gaming Hub, offered on all HP OMENs optimizes performance and customizability for all your games.
- Light Studio feature lets you customize colors, animations and lighting across your hardware and peripherals. It has 16.8 million colors to choose from.
- HP Sure Sense lets you game in peace, protecting your PC with AI. This anti-virus safeguards against 99% of known and unknown malware, protecting endpoints from threats like APTs and ransomware.
Future-Proofing Your Investment
This is the idea that adding new components in a PC can prevent aging and make it run longer. Even if you have the best PC right now, there's a chance that it'll fall behind in a couple years, so future proofing is a concept to leave room for upgrades. To do this, take note of the motherboard, CPU, GPU, RAM and memory - as these will be the main components affecting longevity. Understanding what you have also ensures new components complement the rest of your system.
Next, look for a PC with expansion slots and compatibility with newer tech. Pay particular attention to PCIe slots (currently PCIe 4.0 or 5.0) and their ability to accommodate GPUs and NVMe SSDs in the future. Invest in systems with both traditional HDDs and fast SSDs to expand storage as you download more games. PCs like the OMEN come with multiple drive bays, so upgrading storage is easy. This versatility makes it one of the best gaming PCs for future expansions. Lastly, RAM. While 8GB might suffice for games today, you'll probably need 16GB or 32GB to remain competitive in the future, so consider this as well.
As with all modern PCs, regularly maintain and clean it to prevent dust build-up. Dust impairs cooling which will affect overall performance. Also keep your BIOS and drivers updated so that everything runs smoothly with the latest software.
How to Setup Your PC
Unboxing and setup can be confusing, but don't worry, here's how to do it: Complete these steps to get your machine up and running smoothly.
- Set up the space: Desktop models with their fans and multiple heat pipes need proper ventilation, so make sure the space you have is properly ventilated.
- Connect peripherals: Connect the monitor, keyboard and mouse, then afterwards, plug into a power source.
- Install software: Boot up the PC and follow instructions on-screen to install essential software. If you have an OMEN, check if OMEN Gaming Hub is installed, if not, install it here.
- Set up user accounts: Create a parental admin account for you and a separate user account for your child. To calibrate parental controls, go to Settings > Accounts > Your info to create your administrative account, then with this account sign-in to the Microsoft Family Safety and select your child's account to manage settings.
Next Steps
Now that you're familiar with the fundamentals, it's time to take the plunge and gift that lucky child with a gaming PC perfect for them. PCs are an investment, but with a bit of luck, can last a long time and serve multiple purposes, from conquering virtual worlds to school assignments. If you're still unsure, or have questions, please come into our stores, we're more than happy to help you along the way.
